Re-dyeing in a tiltable washing machine



Dec. 18, 1962 F. G. MOROSCHAN RE-DYEING IN A TILTABLE WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1958 Y INVENTOR Fran]: $.Moroscbazz,

BY 5M ATTORNEYS States 3,969,223 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 This invention relates to a laundering process and more particularly relates to a unique laundering process which permits re-dyeing of Worn and faded work clothes with conventional laundering equipment.

Worn and faded work clothing is obviously less marketable and serviceable than new clothing and, generally speaking, cannot be placed in service together with new clothing without creating adverse customer reaction. This same problem has been encountered in other areas and in the past various organizations and institutions, such as hospitals and linen suppliers, have attempted to convert hospital linens to pastel shades so as to secure additional usage. Also, linen suppliers have adopted various methods of restoring and extending the useful life of towels and the like by the use of direct dyes.

While the successful use of dyeing by these institutions has madeit apparent that work clothes could also be advantageously treated in a like manner, it has not been possible to effectuate this on an economically practical basis. That is to say, in some instances, an attempt has been made to use a prepared kit for redyeing work clothes wherein all of the ingredients and components are pre-Weighed and separately packaged. This eliminates the necessity for the purchase of large drums of dye materials and minimizes the error which might otherwise result from mis-weighing bulk ingredients. However, while the results obtained are generally satisfactory, the cost of packaging the individual ingredients creates a prohibitively high cost per pound of the finished dyed product. Further, a large number of diiferent packages of different colored dyes are necessitate-d thereby increasing the cost to the dyeing operator.

According to the present invention it has now been found that through the use of a specific type of conventional laundering equipment and a particular dyeing process it is possible to re-dye work clothes on an economical basis Without substantial investment in new machinery or large supplies of dyes. This process entails the use of an open end so-called Miller type machine such as that disclosed in US. Patent Re. 23,764 issued on January S, 1954. It is one discovery of the invention that this type of machine subjects the clothes to less aeration than other types and that this permits adequate dyeing with a minimum amount of chemicals so as to render the entire process economically feasible.

While conventional dyeing operations have normally called for the formation of a dyebath to which the material to be dyed was added, the process of this invention comprehends that the load of clothes which is to be dyed be first introduced as in a laundering process. These clothes are then rinsed to remove residual soap and starches. At this point, the front end of the Miller machine is elevated so as to drop the water level therein below a door conventionally contained in the front of the machine. Dye material is added through this door which is then closed and the washing machine lowered to a level positon and run. The front end of the machine is again raised and reducing agents are added. The machine is lowered and run and this is followed by a further raising and addition of an oxidizing agent. After another run the machine is raised again and soap is added in order to perform a final washing of the clothes.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a laundering process which permits the dyeing of work clothes in conventional laundry equipment utilizing process steps capable of being carried out by laundry operators.

It is another object of the invention to provide a proc ess of the foregonig type which is economical and which permits the production of re-dyed garments closely approaching new garments in color and appearance.

These and further objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following detailed specification, claims and appended drawing wherein;

The single FIGURE of the drawing shows a typical washing machine usable in conjunction with the present invention.

Referring to the single figure of-the drawing, there is shown an open-ended machine of the type disclosed in Reissue Patent No. 23,764 generally indicated at 10 comprising an outer cylinder 12 and an inner cylinder 14. The outer cylinder is provided with an end wall 16. Angle irons 18 and 20 are connected to the container 12 and to support frames 22 and 24 as well as to a pair of horizontal channels one of which is indicated at 26. The machine is pivotally supported from a base comprising a pair of further supporting channels one of which is indicated at 30, preferably attached to a floor or similar support.

A pair of brackets, one of which is indicated by dashed lines at 34, are connected to the support channels and act as pivot points for tipping the machine. A pin 36 extends through the brackets and through the channels which pin constitutes the pivot for the machine.

At one end of the machine is an hydraulic jack 38 An outlet aperture 52 is provided in the cylinder 12 including a movable stop 54 in housing 66 communicating with an outlet drain 64. The drain may be disengaged from the cylinder to permit tipping of the machine.

Inner cylinder 14 is preferably formed of perforated metal and includes a plurality of ribs such as 68 of the conventional type and the inner cylinder is closed off by end plate 70. A flange 72 connects the inner cylinder with a shaft 76 mounted in bearing 78 attached to a bracket 80 on end plate 16. A pulley 82 keyed to shaft 76 is driven by way of belts 84 from a pulley 86 connected to motor 88. The motor is supported on plate 98 connected to one of the transverse channels.

The other end of the container 14- rides on a plurality of circumferential bearings 92 and the container is provided with a door 94 having hinges 96 and 98. The door is sealed by a sealing ring 100.

Inner container 14 also includes an end plate having tapered edges 112 and is supported by a flange 114 connected to shaft 116 riding in bearing 113 and secured thereto by collar 120.

Vat colors are highly insoluble and when used to dye textile materials such as clothes, the first converted to a reduced form in which they will be taken up by the textile material. The material is then subjected to a reducing and oxidizing or fixing treatment whereby the dye is again rendered insoluble.

According to the present invention, a load of about 200 lbs. of garments, dry weight, is loaded into a Miller 50 x 60 open end dump washer. The garments are initially rinsed to remove all residual soap and starches in four three minute hot rinses at F. and the bath is then cooled to lower the temperature to approximately below the level of the feed door.

140 F. With the machine thus loaded with clothing and water, the front end is elevated until the water is This door is opened and a suitable vat dye is introduced. The machine is then lowered to a level position and run for a period of approximately 5 minutes during which time the dye enters the garments.

In order to carry out the fixing steps, the machine end is then raised again, the door opened, and there is added approximately 1 ounce per gallon of sodium hydroxide (caustic soad) which has been pro-dissolved in two buckets of water. The machine is again lowered to a level condition and run for 5 minutes. The foregoing procedure is then repeated to add 9 lbs. of concentrated sodium hydrosulfite after which the machine is run at a temperature of 140 F. for approximately minutes. The front is then again raised to permit the addition of 9 lbs. of concentrated sodium hydrosulfite and the machine is run for 20 minutes for a total reduction time of approximately a half-hour. In some instances it may also be desirable to add 20 to 40 lbs. of granular common salt during the first minutes of reduction time in order to obtain additional exhaustion of the dye with heavy shades. Generally speaking, the amount of salt added is from 10 to of the weight of the clothes being re-dyed.

Following the foregoing treatment the washer is then drained and the garments are rinsed with four cold rinses of 2 minutes duration. At this point in the process, it is possible to test with phenolphthalein papers,

although it has been discovered that if the foregoing steps are followed such a test is not necessary. The washer is then filled with a fresh bath consisting of 250 gallons of water at a temperature of 140 F. and three pounds of sodium perborate are added in order to oxidize the dye. After the machine has been run for five minutes the steam is turned on to raise the temperature of the solution to 190 F. and a soap compound is added. With the temperature maintained at 190 F. the machine is run with the soap compound for an additional 10 minutes, in order to remove any excess dye which may remain on the surface of the clothes. The process is concluded by rinsing the garments 3 times, one hot and two cold rinses, followed by the application of conventional starch.

The following are illustrative examples of applications of the process of the invention:

Example 1 200 lbs. (dry weight) of faded navy colored trousers that are desired to be re-dyed a navy color are placed in an open end washing machine and subjected to four rinses each of three minutes duration at a temperature of 170 F. followed by one cool rinse to lower the temperature of the trousers to 140 F. 250 gallons of water at 140 F. is then added with the machine raised so that the level of the water is below the feed door and 8 lbs. of Du Pont Ponsol Navy Blue 2B double paste dye is added. The machine is then lowered to a level position and run for 5 minutes. The machine is then raised again until the level of the Water and unreduced dye is below the level of the feed door and 15.625 lbs. or 1 ounce per gallon of caustic soda which has been predissolved in two buckets of water is added. The machine is then lowered and run again for five minutes after which it is raised as before. 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) is sprinkled through the feed door which is then closed and the machine lowered and run for 10 minutes at 140 F. The front of the machine is again raised and an additional 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) is added and the machine is again lowered and run for an additional 20 minutes thus making a total reduction time of minutes. The dyebath is then drained from the machine and the trousers are given four cold rinses of two minutes duration. A 250 gallon fresh bath of water is introduced into the machine at F. The front end of the machine is raised so that the water is below the feed door in which position 3 lbs. of sodium perborate is added to oxidize the leuco vat dye. The machine is lowered and run for 5 minutes to conplete the oxidation. Thereafter, the steam is turned on to raise the temperature to 190 F. A dipper of soap compound is added and with the temperature maintained at 190 F. the machine is run for 10 minutes. The treatment of the trousers is concluded with three rinses, one hot and two cold, followed by the conventional application of starch. The trousers are found to be dyed an even navy blue which matches the navy color of new fabrics.

Example 2 200' lbs. (dry weight) of white trousers that are desired to be re-dyed navy blue are placed in a Miller open end washing machine and subjected to four rinses each of three minutes duration at a temperature of F. followed by a cool rinse to lower the temperature of the white trousers to 140 F. 250 gallons of water at 140 F. is then added with the machine in a raised position so that the level of the water is below the feed door whereupon 16 lbs. of Du Pont Ponsol Nav Blue 213 double paste is added. The machine is then leveled and run for 5 minutes. The machine is then raised and 15.625 lbs. of 1 ounce per gallon of caustic soda that has been predissolved in two buckets of water is added. The Miller open end machine is then run for 5 minutes after which it is again raised as before. 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) is sprinkled through the open feed door and 20 lbs. or" sodium chloride is also added in order to obtain additional exhaustion of the dye. The machine is lowered and run for 10 minutes at 140 F. The front end of the machine is again raised and an additional 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) is added. The machine is then lowered and run for an additional 20 minutes to provide 30 minutes of reduction time. The dye bath is emptied from the Miller machine and the trousers are given four cold rinses of two minutes duration. A 250 gallon fresh bath of water is introduced therein at 140 F., the machine is raised and three pounds of sodium perborate is added to oxidize the leuco vat dye. The machine is lowered and the oxidation completed by running the machine for 5 minutes. The steam is then turned on to raise the temperature of the solution to F. whereupon the machine is then raised as before and 11 dipper of common soap compound is added and the temperature maintained at 190 F. as the machine is run for 10 additional minutes. The trousers are given three rinses to complete their treatment, one hot and two cold, followed by the conventional application of starch. The trousers are an even navy blue color which matches the navy blue color of new fabrics.

Example 3 200 pounds (dry weight) of faded grey trousers that are desired to be re-dyed spruce green are placed in a Miller open end washing machine and are subjected to four rinses of three minutes duration at a temperature of 170 F. followed by a cool rinse to bring the temperature of the grey trousers to 140 F. 250 gallons of water at 140 F. are fed into the machine and its front end is raised so that the level of the water is below the door. 19 lbs. of Du Pont Ponsol green 231. single paste and 1 lb. Du Pont Ponsol Navy Blue 28 double paste is added. The feed door is then closed, and the machine lowered to run for five minutes. Thereafter, the machine is raised as before and 15.625 pounds of caustic soda that has been pre-dissolved in two buckets of water is added. The machine is lowered and run for 5 minutes after which it is again raised so that 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) may be sprinkled through the feed door. T he machine is lowered to a level position and run for minutes at140 F. The machine is again raised and an additional 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) i sprinkled through the feed door. The machine is then lowered and run for an additional 20 minutes to provide a total reduction time of 30 minutes. The dye bath is dropped from the machine and the trousers are given 4 cold rinses of 2 minutes duration. A fresh 250 gallon bath of water is introduced into the machine at 140 P. which is then raised and three lbs. of sodium perborate added to oxidize the vat dye. The machine is again lowered and run for 5 minutes to finish the oxidation. The steam is then turned on to raise the temperature of the solution to 190 F. The front end of the machine is again raised with the level of the solution below the feed door and a dipper of soap compound is added and with the temperature maintained at 190 F. the machine is run for 10 minutes. The trousers are then given three rinses, 1 hot and 2 cold, followed by the conventional application of starch. The trousers are dyed an even spruce green.

Example 4 200 lbs. (dry weight) of faded postman blue trousers are desired to be redyed postman blue and are placed in a Miller open end washing machine and treated by four rinses each of three minutes duration at a temperature of 170 F. followed by a cool rinse to lower the temperature of the trousers to 140 F. 250 gallons of water at 140 F. are then added to the machine with the front end raised and 2% lbs. of Du Pont Ponsol Blue BFD double powder, 3 /2 ounces of Du Pont Ponsol Red 23 single paste and 2% ounces of Du Pont Ponsol Jade Green Supra double paste is added. The machine is lowered and run for 5 minutes. The machine is then raised again and 15.625 lbs. of caustic soda which has been predissolved in two buckets of water is added. The machine is again lowered and run for 5 minutes after which it is again raised to accept 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) which is sprinkled through the feed door. The machine is then run for 10 minutes at 140 F. Thereafter, the front end of the machine is raised, an additional9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) is added and the machine is again lowered and run for an additional 20 minutes thus making a total reduction time of 30 minutes. The dye bath is then dropped from the machine and the trousers are given four cold rinses of 2 minutes duration. A 250 gallon fresh bath of water is introduced into the machine at 140 F., the machine is raised, and 3 lbs. of sodium perborate is added as an oxidizing agent. The machine is then lowered and run for 5 minutes to complete the oxidation of the dye. Thereafter, the steam is turned on to raise the temperature of the solution to 190 F. The front end of the machine is raised and the door opened to accept a dipper of soap compound and with the temperature maintained at 190 F. the machine is run for 10 minutes. In the final treatment of the trousers, three rinses are administered, one hot and two cold, followed by the conventional application of starch.

Example 5 200 lbs. (dry weight) of faded grey shirts that are desired to be re-dyed grey are placed in a Miller open end washing machine and subjected to four rinses each of three minutes duration at a temperature of 170 F. followed by a cool rinse to lower the temperature of the shirts to 140? F. 250 gallons of water at a temperature of 140 F. is added to the machine with the front end raised so that the level of the water bath is below the feed door and in this position 1 lb. and 2 ounces of Du Pont Ponsol Grey R single paste and /2 ounce of Du Pont Ponsol Red 2B single paste are added. The feed door is then closed and the machine lowered and run for 5 minutes. Thereafter, the machine is raised again with the level of the water and unreduced dye below the level of the door and 15.625 lbs. of caustic soda which has been predissolved in two buckets of water is added. Again the machine is lowered and run for 5 minutes after which it is again raised in the position described previously. 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) is sprinkled through the feed door which i then closed and the machine lowered to be run for 10 minutes at F. The front of the machine is again raised and an additional 9 lbs. of sodium hydrosulfite (conc.) is added and the machine is lowered and run for an additional 20 minutes to make a total reduction time of 30 minutes. The dye bath is then drained from the machine and the shirts are given four cold rinses of 2 minutes duration. A 250 gallon fresh bath of water is introduced into the machine at 140 F., the machine is raised, and 3 lbs. of sodium perborate is added as a noxidizing agent for the leuco vat dye. The machine is lowered and run for 5 minutes to complete the oxidation process. Thereafter, steam is turned on to raise the temperature of the solution to F. The front of the machine is then raised to a position in which the solution will not run out the feed door and a dipper of soap compound is added to the solution.- With the temperature maintained at 190 F. the machine is run for an additional 10 minutes. The treatment of the shirts is concluded with three rinses, one hot and 2 cold, followed by the conventional application of starch. The shirts are dyed an even grey color which matches the color found in new shirts.

Although the sodium hydrosulfite is preferably added in two portion of 9 lbs. each it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to a particular size of portion that is added nor to the number of times the hydrosulfite is to be added. There are a number of factors which afiect the size of each portion and the frequency at which the hydrosulfite is to be added. For one thing, the addition of a large amount of sodium hydrosulfite tends to raise the temperature of the reducing bath thus making it more difiicult to maintain the temperature at an even 140 F. For another, the machine must be raised for each addition of sodium hydrosulfite and it is desired that these elevations be held to a minimum. Finally, it is advantageous to keep the strength of the reducing bath as nearly constant as possible. Thi latter object of course is more easily achieved in a conventional top loading machine, such as the traditional Miller 44 x 84 machine, where the sodium hydrosulfite can be added on more numerous occasions and added while the ma chine is running. However, such a machine would require 21 lbs. of the sodium hydrosulfite to be added for a 200 lb. batch and the clothes would be subjected to considerably more aeration. By adding a suitable antifoaming agent to the bath it is possible to make additions to the open end machine while it is running so that it need not be stopped each time it is raised.

The re-dyed merchandise produced by the process of the present invention has been subjected to customer reuse without objection and the color fastness properties of the re-dyed garments are equal in every respect to the original new vat dyed garments. Garments which have been mended or repaired and then re-dyed result in the mending and repairing becoming much less noticeable and much less objectionable.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A process for re-dyeing work clothes comprising washing the clothes to be dyed in a rotary open end washing machine, filling saidmachine with clean water apeaaas 7 at least to the level of the feed door on the front end of said machine, raising said front end of said machine until the feed door is above said Water, adding a vat dye through said door, lowering said machine to its normal operating position, running said machine to rotate the contents thereof, raising said front end of said machine until said feed door is again above said Water, adding a reducing solution through said door to form a reduced dye bath in said machine, lowering said machine to its normal operating position, running said machine to rotate the contents thereof, dropping said dye bath, adding an oxidizing solution to said machine, running said machine 8 to fix the dye in said clothes, and washing said clothes in said machine.

2. A process as set out in claim 1 wherein said water is maintained at approximately 140 F. during the time it is run after said dyehas been added.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA-ENTS Re. 23,764 Miller Jan. 5, 1954 1,948,568 Faber Feb. 27, 1934 2,059,449 Fowler Nov. 3, 1936 2,487,197 Scott Nov. 8, 1949 

1. A PROCESS FOR RE-DYEING WORK CLOTHES COMPRISING WASHING THE CLOTHES TO BE DYED IN A ROTARY OPEN END WASHING MACHINE, FILLING SAID MACHINE WITH CLEAN WATER AT LEAST TO THE LEVEL OF THE FEED DOOR ON THE FRONT END OF SAID MACHINE, RAISING SAID FRONT END OF SAID MACHINE UNTIL 